Bajaj V12 First Ride Review: Single-pot V12

It is also a little bit more torque-y than its competitors with the 124.45-cc single-cylinder power mill producing an impressive 10.7 PS at 7,500 rpm and 11 Nm at 5,500 revs. Since we’re talking specs, it’s only fair to mention that the V12 is also heavier than a lot of its competitors with a 133-kg kerb weight figure. Swing a leg over and you will notice that the riding position is quite upright, as it should be for a commuter, and quite comfortable too.

The seat is a little low on cushioning, but makes up for it with that additional sliver of support from the cowl. Another difference you notice from the V15 is that the dials are all analogue, rather than the analogue-meets-digital setup on the V15. I personally like that, because a retro-looking bike should have retro dials too. The switchgear quality is the same as on the V15, and the big mirrors still provide a lot of visual feedback as they did on the bike’s elder sibling.

The engine fires up at the push of the starter, and sounds a little naughty for a 125-cc bike too. Refinement levels are acceptable and nothing more, and the bike does feel a little bit quick from the mid-range of the torque band upwards. The 125-cc engine I mentioned isn’t sourced from the Discover 125 which has a squared configuration (54 x 54.4); rather the V12’s engine is a de-bored version of the 149.5-cc engine seen on the V15. It is mated to a five-speed gearbox set up in a N-1-2-3-4-5 configuration. The gearbox, too, is competent, but could do with a little additional slickness.

The suspension setup on the V12 is decent in its bump absorb-ability, and the V12, while no track shredder, handles pretty well for a commuter. The additional weight doesn’t deter you from leaning her a little bit into a corner, or swerving in and out of traffic. The only issue I had with the bike, performance-wise, was with the brakes. They were underwhelming when compared to the rest of the bike, lacking in both progression and bite, and the lack of a disc brake up front, even as an option, was a little disappointing. The people at Bajaj did hint, however, that with enough demand, a disc variant could make it to the pipeline.

The two most crucial aspects of any commuter motorcycle are fuel efficiency and price. On the former, while Bajaj haven’t quoted an official figure, one of their representatives said that an approximate figure of 55-odd km/l would be accurate as a real-world representation of the bike’s economy. However, you will have to wait for our road test before we can tell you for sure. At Rs 68,600 on-road, Pune, the V12 is in the same price ballpark as that of competitors’ disc-brake equipped 125-cc models; although the bike’s standout aesthetics and distinctively-sourced metal do justify that premium to a great extent.

Senior Correspondent at Bike India Magazine

A travel-junkie who loves rock-n-roll and football, and spends endless hours playing video games in his free time